Retorting apparatus with hood-shaped unitary coolant jacket disposed over screw conveyor

ABSTRACT

THE PRESENT INVENTION COMPRISES APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING CARBONACEOUS FUSSIL FUELS SUCH AS OIL SHALE AND COAL. THIS STRUCTURE INCLUDES CONVEYOR AND HEATER MEANS FOR PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS, AND PARTITIONED SUCCESSIVE CHAMBERS FOR COLLECTING AND CONDENSING ASCENDING VAPORS THEREFROM AT RESPECTIVE HEAT ZONES. MEANS ARE PROVIDED FOR COLLECTING AND/OR PROCESSING NON-CONDENSIBLES. VAPORIZATION AND CONDENSATION ZONES ARE PROVIDED WITH BAFFLE MEANS FOR OPTIMIZING RECOVERY AND SEPARATION. MEANS ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO ENSURE THAT A PRE-SOAK TIME IS PROVIDED, DESPITE CONTINUOUS THROUGH-PUT, WHEREIN THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL IS PRE-MIXED WITH A HYDROCARBON DILUENT. DISCHARGE STRUCTURE FOR SPENT MATERIAL IS CANTED UPWARDLY TO MINIMIZE ESCAPE OF VAPOR OUT OF THE DISCHARGE AREA.

Sept. 12, 1972 R. s. BRIMHALL RETORTING APPARATUS WITH HOOD-SHAPED UNITARY COOLANT JACKET DISPOSED OVER SCREW CONVEYOR Filed Feb. 16, 1970 IN\-ENTOR. Roy S. Brimhall BY 4- f w His Attorney United States Patent RETORTING APPARATUS WITH HOOD-SHAPED UNITARY COOLANT JACKET DISPOSED OVER SCREW CONVEYOR Ray S. Brimhall, deceased, late of Salt Lake City, Utah, by Walker Bank and Trust Co., administrator, assignor to said Walker Bank and Trust Company, administrator of the estate of said Brimhall Filed Feb. 16, 1970, Ser. No. 11,793

' Int. Cl. C101) 7/10 US. Cl. 202-118 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention comprises apparatus for processing carbonaceous fossil fuels such as oil shale and coal. This structure includes conveyor and heater means for progressively increasing the temperature of the carbonaceous materials, and partitioned successive chambers for collecting and condensing ascending vapors therefrom at respective heat zones. Means are provided for collecting and/or processing non-condensibles. Vaporization and condensation zones are provided with baflle means for optimizing recovery and separation. Means are also provided to ensure that a pre-soak time is provided, despite continuous through-put, wherein the carbonaceous material is pre-mixed with a hydrocarbon diluent. Discharge structure for spent material is canted upwardly to minimize escape of vapor out of the discharge area.

The present invention relates to a structure for retorting and processing carbonaceous materials such as oil shale and coal and, more particularly, provides a new and improved apparatus wherein structural provision is made for fractional distillation during the retort process.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for processing carbonaceous materials such as coal and oil shale, so as to retort the same and vaporize constituents thereof for subsequent recovery.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for processing carbonaceous materials by which, during continuous conveyance of the carbonaceous material along a travel run, such material will be gradually increased in temperature during the course of such travel run and in which structure is provided to capture rising vapors and gasses at various temperature ranges along such run.

An additional object is to provide a vapor collection and condensation structure wherein a rough separation of lighter vapors from heavier vapors may be accomplished in a single zone.

A further object is to provide a vapor collecting structure which is suitably baffled to prevent condensible vapors from being entrained in exhausted non-condensible gasses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous-run. carbonaceous-material processing plant wherein the discharge end of such apparatus is upwardly canted, to preclude inadvertent escape of vapors produced through the processing by said apparatus, of such material.

An additional object of the invention is to provide means for variably heating and adjustably cooling the various successive heating zones of said apparatus, this to eifect adjustment as to operating temperatures as may be necessary in utilizing the equipment to its most effective advantage.

An additional object is to provide for differing run speeds for a uniformally driven screw type or auger conveyor in material processing plants.

An additional object is to provide a retorting, vaporization and condensation plant for fossil fuels, and suitable heating means whereby adjustable amounts of heat may be supplied successive, progressively-increasing heat zones of such apparatus.

An additional object is to provide a retorting vaporization and condenser plant for fossil fuels wherein vapors of separate boiling ranges can be separately collected and/ or condensed to provide separate fractions.

The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, shown partially in phantom line, of carbonaceous material processing equipment constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a central, vertical, longitudinal cross-section of the structure of FIG. 1, and is shown in reduced scale.

In FIG. 1 support stand 10 may be made of angle and bar stock, for example, or assume any other convenient construction. Mounted upon support stand 10 is a gear box 11 which is driven by drive motor 12. 'Drive motor 12 is mounted by suitable support means 13 to the gear box and/or support stand 10, and includes output shaft 14. The latter is provided with pulley wheel 15, keyed thereto, and is supplied with V-belt or other drive transmission mechanism 16. V-belt 16 operatively engages pulley 17, the latter of which is keyed to input shaft 18 of gear box 11.

Gear box 11 is shown in simplified view in FIG. 3, this simply to illustrate that the same will include an output shaft 19 coupled by suitable coupling means 20, of conventional design, to shaft 21 of conveyor auger 21. Stub shaft 21 is journal'ed by appropriate journaling means 22 to wall 23 of structure 24. Structure 24 includes a receiving hopper 25 having a trough 26 depending therefrom. Soaking zone conduit 27 includes a flange 28 which is bolted to the hopper structure 25, or otherwise aifixed by any suitable means. Soaking zone conduit 27 is also flanged at 30 and is connected as by welding, bolts, or other suitable means, to structure 31. Structure 31 will include trough 32 provided at its terminal end with discharge spout 33. The latter may be welded in place relative to trough 32. Conveyor auger 21 proceeds through the trough 32 as shown; the opening 34 of trough 32, see FIG. 2, communicates with the interior 35 of structure 31. A series of angulated baffles 36 may be welded in place in the manner and disposition shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the purpose for which shall be hereinafter explained. If desired, the trough 32 may include an upstanding lip or weir extension 37, the purpose for which will be later explained. Heating jacket 38 circumscribes a major portion of trough 32 and is preferably welded thereto. The same includes supply conduit 39 into which a gaseous fuel, preferably, is routed to burners 40A-40D. The several burners 40A-40D may be connected to supply conduit 39 through regulating valves 41A-41D in which are supplied valve stems 42 and handles 43 which make the valves independently adjustable. Accordingly, selected heat may be supplied to each zone A, B, C and D, of trough 32. These several zones correspond to zones A'- which are disposed immediately above and communicate with respective trough zones A-D. The heaters or burners 40A-40D themselves, may be either identical in construction and heating effect, or may be of varying structural character, this so that respective amounts of heat may be supplied to respective zones of the structure. Additionally, with the control valves 41A-41D being independently variable as by means 42 and 43 in FIG. 2, the heat supplied the structure may be independently varied at the respective zones A-D.

This structure 31 includes respective condensers 44A- 44D, having mutually spaced, sealed jacket plates 45 and 46 through which water or other coolant may be routed. Valve 47 may be interposed in one or more coolant lines 48. Each of the jackets include inlet coolant orifice 49 and one or more outlet coolant orifices 50. The coolant liquid may be subsequently cooled and recirculated or may simply be discharged, as convenient. Preferably, all of the jackets will be independently valved, such as illustrated in FIG. 2', so that the effectiveness of the cooling and condensing step as performed by the structure may be made variable. The jackets themselves may be connected to one or various, respective sources of coolant supply. The coolant will be supplied under pressure, of course, to the individual jackets.

A pair of stacks 52 and 53 comprise combustion products exhaust stacks which are welded in communicative disposition to heater jacket 38 and communicate with the interior thereof.

Each of the stages A'D will include a respective recovery gasses exhaust port 54A-54D. Selected ones of the same, such as 54A, 54B and 54D, may be manifolded together to a single recovery gasses system 55. Any single stage or zone may have a selected recovery gaseous exhaust port such as 54C routed to a separate, selective recovery gasses system 56, this so that the gasses collected from a particular stage may be independently processed. As to the recovery gaseous systems 55 and 56, they may include vacuum pumps, condensers, or simply collection tanks, this depending upon the type of gas or gasses collected and subsequent processing and/ or collection of the same.

Discharge spout 33 is important in that its upturned configurement tends to keep rising vapors from materials within trough 32 from simply discharging through the discharge end of the trough. Suitable journaling structure as at 56 may be connected to and depend from structure 31 and be provided for journaling the remote end of conveyor auger 21.

Down spouts 57 and 58 will be provided the bed plates L of each section or zone of the structure to collect condensation and route the same to separate containers or other vessels.

The operation of the structure as above described is as follows.

Carbonaceous material, preferably in crushed form, is initially introduced into hopper 25, and this preferably with a hydrocarbon diluent. Drive motor 12 rotates the input drive 15 of gear box 11 so as to produce a resolvement of conveyor auger 21. This advances the material introduced in hopper 25 forwardly, i.e. to the left in FIG. 3. The interposition of soaking zone conduit 27 and the flow of material from hopper 25 permits such material to be thoroughly mixed with and soaked by any diluent theretofor introduced in the hopper 25. The material thus arrives at zone A, at which point, heat via burner 40 is applied. The gradual movement to the left of the carbonaceous material permits a gradual increase in the temperature of the cwbonaceous material supplied, from ambient temperature conditions, so that vapors will gradually rise from trough 32 at zone A to A thereabove. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be noted that heavy vapors reaching baffle 35 will tend to flow to the left. In this regard, weir 37 keeps heavier vapors from spilling out to the right of trough 32. Lighter vapors will rise however, and spill over weir 37 into the right-hand portion of the structure in FIG. 2, this to condense upon the lowermost plate 60. Such condensate as condenses on plate 60 will run downwardly and into down spout 58. Of course, vapors progressing underneath baflle 35 to the left will condense on plate 46 and condensate therefrom or run downwardly and into down spout 57. It is important to note that the existence of Weir 37 provides for a separation of heavier vapors from lighter vapors, so that condensate from the two types of vapors may be produced and collected separately. Bafiles 35, in deflecting ascending vapor for condensing upon the coolant jacket plates, prevent in large measure any loss of vapors owing to entrainment thereof in the lighter, volatile gasses proceeding out of independent recovery ports 54A-54D.

Since the zones A'-D' are separated by baflles P, then gasses and vapors rising from the carbonaceous material within trough 32 will be separately condensed and collected at the separate zones A'D via the respective down spouts 57, 58 thereof. Adjustment of various valves of the burner via respective handle 43 enables easy adjustment of heat application to the respective zones A-D.

If desired, the convolutions of conveyor auger at area C may be made later or less in number than convolutions at other regions of the auger so that a greater (as shown) or lesser speed of conveyance of the carbonaceous material is achieved in the respective zone affected. Adjustment of heats of the various burners 41A-41D will control the slope of the temperature gradient or rise in temperature of the carbonaceous material as it is gradually advanced leftwardly along the trough 32.

Accordingly, the carbonaceous material will be progressively heated as the same advances through zones AD, and the vapors of various successive fractions will rise and be collected at zones AD'. In this regard, there may be effected a rough separation of vapors by virtue of the inclusion at each zone A'D' of bafile 35 and weir extension 37. See FIG. 2. In any event, since the vapor distillation and collection zones A'-D are partitioned by partitions P, see FIGS. 1 and 3, it is seen that the condensate of the various zones are separately collectable. the volatile gasses rising at the stacks 54A-54D are either separately or cumulatively collected by a suitable recovery system, e.g. 55, 56.

After passing through heating zone D, the residual material is advanced further by the continued rotation of the conveyor auger 21 so that the same advances out of discharge spout 33. The upturned configurement of spout 33 is such that vapors will not tend to advance outwardly therefrom but rather to rise in their respective zones.

It is apparent from the above that the application of heat to the various zones AD may be varied, this so that the temperature ranges of the various zones may be controlled both as to ranges and nominal values. Condenser action may likewise be related by controlling the temperature of the fluid passed through the several coolant jackets by regulating the fiow rate of such coolant, as by respective ones of the valves 47, in FIG. 2.

What is provided hence is a retort and distillation structure accommodating carbonaceous material wherein such structure provides for the gradual heating of such material and the recovery of separate fractions therefrom, as condensate and/or exhaust gasses. Separate fractions may be collected separately from the partitioned zones A'D; furthermore, a rough-cut separation vapor may be achieved by virtue of the inclusion of weir extensions 37 and the inclusion of respective bafiles 35.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for processing carbonaceous materials, said apparatus including, in combination, hopper means for receiving said material, conveyor means, operatively disposed with respect to said hopper means, for conveying said material received thereby along a run, heater means proximately disposed said conveyor means along said run, structure defining a plurality of successive chambers communicating with said conveyor means and disposed thereabove for receiving vapors therefrom, and hood-shaped unitary coolant jacket means, disposed over said successive chambers plurality, for condensing said vapors.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a trough, said conveyor means being disposed in said trough, said trough including an upwardly canted discharge extremity.

3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a trough, said conveyor means comprises a conveyor auger disposed in said trough, said trough including an upwardly canted conveyor discharge extremity.

4. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said defining structure includes vertical partitions depending from said coolant-jacket means.

5. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a soaking zone conduit operatively interposed between said hopper and said chamber-defining structure, and having a length at least as long as that one of said chambers with which it is contiguous.

6. In vaporization and distillation structure, in combination, a trough, a screw conveyor disposed in said trough, and structure defining a chamber disposed above and communicating with said trough, said structure including an exhaust port disposed above said trough and a baffle transversely sloping over said trough and disposed between said exhaust port and said trough, above said screw conveyor wherein said chamber-defining structure comprises condenser structure having cooling means and including bed plates contiguous with and extending laterally outwardly from said trough, and condensate receiving downspout means affixed to said bed plates.

7. Structure according to claim 6 wherein said trough includes an upstanding weir extension disposed beneath an upper portion of said baflie.

8. Structure according to claim 6 wherein said chamber-defining structure includes condensate forming means disposed above said downspout means.

9. A vaporization and distillation structure for proc essing solid carbonaceous materials, including, in combination, means for conveying said carbonaceous materials along a run, structure defining a chamber disposed above and communicating said means, said structure including an exhaust port disposed above said means, a bafile sloping transversely over said run and disposed between said exhaust port and said means, means for cooling said structure to permit condensate to form thereon, and means, disposed laterally on opposite sides of said bafiie for withdrawing said condensate.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said chamber-defining structure includes upstanding weir means disposed on one side of said run, and disposed beneath and spaced from said bai'fle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,957,347 5/1934 McKinnon 266-20 1,548,307 8/1925 Giger 202-118 3,110,652 11/1963 Thomsen 202-118 773,139 10/1904 Gesner 202-118 2,507,245 5/1950 Dady 198-214 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 2,843 12/1918 Netherlands 202-118 NORMAN YUDKOFF, Primary Examiner D. EDWARDS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

